Stem-loop RT-PCR based quantification of small non-coding RNAs.

Stem-loop qRT-PCR is one of the most commonly used real-time PCR approach to quantify small non-coding RNAs such as microRNAs. The quantification method is divided in two steps. First, RNA is reverse-transcribed using a specific stem-loop primer, and the resulting RT product is subsequently used as a template for quantitative real-time PCR. This fast and simple method provides quantitative data with high sensitivity and specificity to study miRNAs and their functions.